Shana Galen delivers another action-packed historical romance. Lady Juliana is an almost-spinster who has decided her life to a home for orphans, motivated by the death of her sister. Her father wants her back home before the scandal breaks, so, former solider, Neil Wraxall is sent in. Unfortunately, the mission proves to be more complicated than he assumed.

The premise of No Earls Allowed is great and I liked the humour and sparks between the two characters. That being said, I felt that there was a bit too much going on in the novel. You've got two people who are heavily shaped by their past, then they meet each other, but their individual assumptions about each other and themselves make being together impossible. And, there's some evil dude threatening the orphans and Juliana! Considering the impact of Neil's life as a solider, and Juliana's reaction to her sister's death, I assumed that No Earls Allowed would be more emotional and instead I felt that is was more superficial in favour of the multitude of other things going on. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just not preferred by this reader.

I was also confounded by Juliana's dedication to the orphan home. Yes, her sister died, but my impression was that her sister wasn't overly involved in charitable endeavours such as the orphanage. Did I miss something? I thought that there should have been a stronger connection between Juliana's sister and the orphanage as it didn't quite do the job in conveying what got Juliana so invested in the home in the first place.

If you enjoy Galen's action-pack style, No Earls Allowed is sure to please. Readers who prefer a more emotionally-nuanced tale may want to reconsider. Ultimately, this is a fun, light reader that gets the job done.

Lady Juliana St. Maur is attempting to keep a run-down orphanage together, with the 12 young boys, their 3 pet rats, and a very limited budget, and no help since her maid left, the cook just quit and the one remaining man servant frequently missing. Major Neil Wraxall, war hero and bastard son of a marquess, is sent to bring Lady Juliana home, which is a lot harder that he thought it would be, since she refuses to leave. The orphanage is located in a dangerous part of London, and a ruthless crime lord has his eye on Lady Juliana - he’ll either take her money or her virtue, and time is running out before he takes what he wants. Neil is exactly what is needed to keep Julia and the boys safe; if he can get past his demons and his lack of self-worth, he just might realize he’s found the place he belongs. I loved the impulsive, headstrong and tender-hearted Julia and I thought Neil was just what she needed to help in her efforts to provide a safe home for the orphans, and to change her mind about marriage as well. Neil had been wresting with his memories from the war, drinking too much, and had no direction in his life, so getting sucked into Juliana’s problems definitely gave him something better to do with himself. I liked the appearances of his friends from the Draven Club, and look forward to reading more in the Survivors series to see what happens with the rest of the men.

I just finished No Earls Allowed by Shana Galen. I love this couple and their story! It is full of action, adventure, character growth, fun, and fear and it is all blended together into a lovely story. There were some unexpected things and I wasn't sure at first how that would turn out but I was very happy with how it was handled. I always love a strong heroine as well. I am looking forward to more novels in this series

Oh I love Shana's Survivors series. These men have been through hell from the war and they have to figure out how to live after being in a suicide squad that no one expected them to survive. The are the best of the best and live with guilt over the death of their comrades. Each one has a special hell that visits them with PTSD before it was understood. They have a club and support each other as their brothers. Each were cast offs from their respective families.

Neil Wraxall, recognized illegitimate son of the Marquess of Kensington is the leader of the group and carries the death of each one of his men as he ordered their respective mission. He was raised and educated like the society sons but not socially included because of his birth. I has no place is society and is kinda lost. He does odd jobs for his Father and gets an allowance that keeps him well set. He's sent on an errand to take the Earl of St. Maur's (his Father's dear friend) only surviving daughter, Lady Julianna, home from the orphanage she runs in the Spitalfields rookery, a London slum. She's was drawn there after the tragic death of her best friend sister who did various charity work. It was her way do deal with her extreme grief and to keep her sister's memory alive. There were more reasons but that would be spoilers. Her father fears for her safety and wants her home. Neil thinks easy-peasy. He hasn't tangled with the very stubborn and determined Lady Julianna. What a battle! But he's up to it with his military background. He'll secure the house and marshall the boys just like his troup.

Each of these characters are dealing with tragedy and grief. As Neil works to keep Julianna safe and the 12 orphan boys productive he can't help develop a great deal of respect for Julianna. She on the other hand resents his presence at first but he makes himself so helpful and things are improving. He discovers the local crime boss has nefarious designs on her and that's just not going happen on his watch. And so grows the adventure. An oh what a action filled twisty adventure. Neil discovers his heart isn't dead and Julianna discovers she needs unconditional love in her life. Shana has a way of developing and growing her characters you just want to embrace. You root for them to succeed. I love the heart of her stories and how her emotion translate onto the page.

Lady Juliana is an Earl's daughter but basically lives in an orphanage near the slums of London. Her sister died in childbirth, left a son which Juliana had to relinquish to his father. Because of losind her nephew, she is compelled to take care of other children without parents, Her father asks Neil Wraxall, a friend and Lord's son, who is a bastard, to convince her to come home and not live in the orphanage. Neil ends up staying longer then planned and makes an impact on everyone there. He does not feel good enough for Julia considering he is a basted yet they have strong feelings for each other. Julia is also stalked by a crime leader from the slums. I like the book overall but felt Neil's change of heart to sudden. I think Julia's father was too tame and was a character who could have had more depth and emotion. I would think he would have been more vocal about the relationship. I think Julia's altruistic endeavors superb. Thanks for the enjoyable srory.

Lady Juliana is the daughter of an Earl. But, she spends her days and nights in the slums. She is running an orphanage populated by some of the most entertaining boys ever described in a book. The cook and the teacher have just resigned. The only male employee disappears for no known reason. So, Juliana is basically the only adult in the entire place.

Neil is a veteran of the Napoleonic War. He was part of a suicide squad. The thought was that the men in this group were not heirs so they were not valued and they are unafraid of death.

Neil was not afraid to die. He is an illegitimate son who watched his half brother, the heir die on the battlefield. Neil valued Christopher and has been unable to come to grips with the fact he was unable to save him.

Now, Neil has been given a new assignment by his father. He is to go to the orphanage and convince Juliana to return to the home of her father. The idea is to make her safe from danger. And there is danger all around. A gang leader wants her and he is willing to use extortion to get what he wants. He even sinks so low as to threaten the boys.

This is a humorous adventure.

Juliana's past has convinced her that she will never marry. She accepts that idea because her life is devoted to saving these boys and providing them with a home where they can feel love.

Neil does not believe he will ever marry because of his inability to sleep through a night without waking up screaming. He also is aware of the fact that he is worthless because of his illegitimate birth. He ignores the fact that he has been written up in the newspapers as a hero. To Neil, surviving was just by chance, it does not make him heroic.

Both of these people are terrific characters. Juliana can be annoying at times because she has lost the ability to listen. Her goals are terrific, but her methods are not always the best. She is smart and funny and very loving. Because of her great heart, she is able to make even the most obnoxious little boys work at becoming better boys. And she even likes Matthew, Mark and Luke, the rats.

Neil is a very heroic hero. He is not only brave, but he has a strong sense of responsibility to his fellow man. He is intelligent, has a great sense of humor, he is a leader of both men and boys. He wants the best for Juliana and the boys. Neil is someone both Juliana and the boys can learn to love.

There are villains in this story. Some of them are much worse than others. But, most of the secondary characters are good people who want the best for Juliana, Neil and the boys. The boys add dimension to the story. The reader gets to know them and realize that they have come from places that were neither safe nor loving.

This is part of a series. But, it works perfectly well as a stand alone read. There are other members of the Survivors who will possibly populate the next book in the series. It seems to me it will be very difficult to be better than the first two books.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

Major Neil Wraxall, is the bastard son of the Marquess of Kensington. He is also one of the Survivors, a group of what was once thirty men who fought suicide missions in the Napoleonic War, but are now a group of twelve. Neil has very little to do so when his father calls on him for a favor, Neil agrees. All Neil has to do is help the Earl of St. Maur's daughter, Lady Juliana, with her charity and return her home safely. Neil has no idea what he is in for!

Juliana does not care for society. She'd much rather spend time at her orphanage for young boys. She already spends most days there, but when most of her staff deserts her, Juliana is forced to step into a more permanent role there. When Neil shows up and offers his help, she is relieved, but suspicious. With Neil's help they are able to whip the orphanage and the unruly youngsters somewhat into shape. Everything is not all roses though, as a local crime lord is after Juliana for payment for his protection or worse, her hand in marriage. Juliana would never accept, but when one of her boy's life is put in danger, will she have a choice?

Review courtesy of NetGalley. Rated 4.5 stars! THE SURVIVORS series by author Shana Galen is very moving. What these poor men have been through is just horrible, but unfortunately their services were much needed in the Wars. Each man has his own demons and it's so rewarding to see them find at least a small comfort in the world they live in when they meet their matches. THE SURVIVOR'S series begins with THIRD SON'S A CHARM and continues with NO EARLS ALLOWED. No Earls Allowed is Neil's story. Neil lost not only friends in battle, but a brother. He has a hard time getting close to anyone. He and Juliana are kind of forced together by their situations, but it clear from early on, feelings will develop between them. Neil tries to close himself off from caring about Juliana and her orphans, but deep down he respects and loves her and is even coming to love the children she takes care of. I really enjoyed Neil and Juliana as a couple and am so glad to see them defying convention to be together and to make sure the children they are caring for at the orphanage are loved and provided for.

Wow what an amazing story. It’s so sad the stereotype the world puts on us and how each person handles it differently. She was born to the elite world of fashion and wealth he was born a bastard but claimed by his father. What happens when two worlds collide. He is put in a Situation he doesn’t know how to handle and she lays her heart on the line. Will love and forgiveness of the wrongs of life win in the end. I so love this series and a huge perk is that you continue to see all the other characters in each book. Wonderful heart-wrenching read.

I absolutely loved Neil’s character.  He is known as a hero but refuses to acknowledge it because he believes that he is to blame for the deaths of the men who died under his command.  He is also a tortured as a result of finding his brother’s dead body on the battlefield.  It is an image he cannot forget. Neil is lonely and is verging towards alcoholism to solve his problems.  He is also kind and a caring as well as a virgin!.  I love when he makes the rats a cage for the boys even though he absolutely detests them. 

At the orphanage, he starts off not caring for any of the boys nor Juliana besides getting her home.  Towards the end, he is actively showing them how to cook basic meals and make their beds and a few other things a long the way.

Julia’s character however, I did not like as much.  She seemed to be completely absorbed with the orphanage and had no real care for Neil besides the attraction she feels. But attraction does not equal love. She has a lot of distrust of men, understandably, but I believe it was overblown and that she projected too much on Neil.  He does good deed after good deed and still she mistrusts him.  I have a hard time with that.  I really wanted to love Julia’s character but something about her character rubbed me wrong.  I did love how she cared for the orphans under her care but besides that, I don’t have much to say.

The flow of this book, for me, was really slow in the beginning.  I found myself putting down my kindle many a time to do other things.  This book also took me a very long time to read as result.  It took me almost a week.  However, because I loved Neil, the children at the orphanage and Mrs Dunwitty, Juliana’s governess as a child I forged on.  Around the three-quarter mark, the writing I was expecting from this author came through, the pace picked up and my enjoyment of the book and Juliana skyrocketed. From there on, I did not put the book down.

I started reading this book and couldn’t put it down. This is the second book in Shana Galen’s The Survivors series. You don’t need to have read the first one, but some of the characters in that book appear in this one.

The hero of this book is Neil Wraxall, a hero of the Napoleonic war and leader of Draven’s group that we would call a special ops team. He is the bastard son of a Marquess but has always been recognized and provided for. He still has nightmares from the war and guilt that his half-brother died, and he survived. His father asks him to help his friend, the Earl St. Maur, bring his daughter home from the orphanage she runs.

Lady Juliana is devoted to the boys at the run down home she is determined to improve. The home is in Spitalfields and a crime lord runs the area. When Neil arrives, he learns the cook has quit, the building needs repairs and there is no food. To keep order and make repairs, he treats the boys like soldiers, giving them tasks to do. Lady Juliana is not sure about him being there but appreciates the help.

There is a lot more happening in this book, but it is not a story I will spoil. Lady Juliana has a reason for wanting to help children. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more of this series. Thank you to the author and publisher for giving me this ARC. No one has asked or required that I write this review.

This is a Regency romance that doesn’t really take place in any of the regular locations found in the genre. Instead of ballrooms, the main action takes place at an orphanage in the St. Giles slums. It is a bit reminiscent of the Elizabeth Hoyt novels that take place in St. Giles about 60- 80 years earlier than this novel, though not quite as well written as Hoyt’s novels.
The whole premise is a bit silly. Lady Juliana, daughter of an earl, is coping with her sorrow at her sister’s death by taking over the actual directing of the orphanage. Her father is worried about her, but instead of talking to her himself, he asks his friend, a marquess, to ask his illegitimate son, Major Neil Wraxall, to get Juliana to come home. Really? It seems a very roundabout way to achieve his ends to send someone he’s never met to talk to a woman that Wraxall has never met. Of course, Neil ends up, against his will, to enjoy the boys in the orphanage and to be attracted to Juliana. Then there is a bit of a plot about a crime boss in the slums who is bothering the orphanage and Lady Juliana.
What saves the novel are the scenes with the boys and the Major. It turns out that all they needed was a firm hand and all he needed was to find a reason for living after his PTSD from his days in the Peninsular War.
I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Haven't read the rest of this series but now I want to. Liked the characters and the story line. Will recommend and carry in our store!

Enjoyed! Beginning to end and couldn't put it down! Love it!

Just when I thought the book was almost over, another plot twist takes place. Easy to say that No Earls Allowed, is quite the page turner.

I'm a fan of Shana Galen's previous books so I was excited for this read and it did not disappoint! Neil was such a great character; I love alpha males who are protective and kind. Neil was this and more. He and Juliana had great chemistry and their romance never felt forced. Juliana was a great character too and I liked the backstory of why she chooses to care for orphans. I totally understood her motivations and felt sympathetic for her losses. I really enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it!

I love the hero! Neil, any woman who doesn't fall in love with him, needs therapy! He is struggling with PTSD, after suicide missions during the Napoleonic War. He is the illegitimate son of a Marquess, acknowledged, but not loved. His father hands him jobs go to, being a soldier, he carries his missions out! His father, and the Earl of St. Maur , very close friends, have a new mission for him, bring the Earl's daughter home! The biggest problem is, she is totally an Earl's daughter! She is running an Orphanage, not helping, running it, daily, she spends nights there, in Spitalfields, the very dangerous part of London. Neil figures this will take one afternoon, gather her up, take her home. He did not count on a house full of little boys, roof leaking all over the place, general chaos. Nor, did he count on meeting the most beautiful woman, that he had ever seen! Love the story, love the children, love his witty friends! I love what one of them said, "The two of them together, were too pretty go look at"! Love that!
I highly recommend! Thanks! Enjoy!
Carolintallahassee 👒

No Earls Allowed (The Survivors, #2)
by Shana Galen
Definitely a buy buy buy book!
A historical that is completely different then the norm. It is not set among the ton, instead it is set in a more poverty area of London. While there is interaction of course in the ton, the main part of the story is in the other area. I found the read to be refreshingly different. It does not center only on the wealthy but how others perceive and interact with different levels of society. The story has heart, pathos, confusion, romance, compassion. It has levels of life that is not the normal in a historical and I found it to be a good read. I like the authors style of writing in this story and found myself wanting more from her. I will be on the look out for her writing now. So buy and enjoy the book. I was given this arc on request and voluntarily and honestly wrote my review with no bias. Anna Swedenmom

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋💋
Absolutely loved this book , Shana gets better every time I read her work .
A story of a retired Major , with a death wish , who ends up helping an Earls daughter to run an orphanage.
The daughter, is still mourning the loss of her sister and nephew, the boys at the orphanage are her replacement family , when the major appears a slow appreciation between the two also starts.
With fantastic characters, settings and Witty banter galore, and not forgetting the rats ,this is a must for all fans .

I was gifted a copy of this book and chose to submit a review.

Couldn't but it down. Charming, fun, dangerous and entertaining. Shana Galen never fails to capture and hold my attention with her stories. Her heroine is strong willed, independent, determined and a bit naive. Her hero is a bastard son, war hero, and a "gasp" virgin. She's set on living at and running a ramshackle orphanage and he's been sent to bring her home where her father thinks she belongs. Mothing 11 boys by day and dancing at balls by night, can she keep the orphanage running, take care of her boys and keep a notorious slum Lord at bay all while trying to get this "handsome" man to understand she is already home? Can he make the orphanage safe and secure, protect her all the while trying to complete his mission of g3tting her to go back to her father house? The story leads you down an adventure from beginning to end and won't leave you disappointed. Can't wait for more